Method of operating a pressurized-water nuclear reactor allowing same to pass from a plutonium equilibrium cycle to a uranium equilibrium cycle and corresponding nuclear fuel assembly

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for operating a nuclear reactor. The method includes operating the nuclear reactor for at least one plutonium equilibrium cycle during which the core contains plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies; subsequently, operating the reactor for transition cycles, at least some of the plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies being progressively replaced with transition nuclear fuel assemblies and then with uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies; and then operating the nuclear reactor for at least one uranium equilibrium cycle.

This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/389,246 filed Feb. 6, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

The present invention relates to a method for operating a nuclearreactor.

BACKGROUND

The reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel assemblies has made large amountsof plutonium available.

Using this plutonium in order to mix it with uranium and thereby formnuclear fuels has been suggested for a long time. These fuels, whichcontain, before irradiation, a mixture of uranium and plutonium oxidesare generally called MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuels.

The assemblies containing such MOX fuels, called MOX assemblies in thefollowing, have been loaded into the cores of nuclear reactors wherethey coexist with assemblies, the nuclear fuel of which beforeirradiation does not contain any plutonium oxide but only uranium oxide.Such assemblies will be called UO₂ assemblies in the following, and thefuel which they contain UO₂ fuel. A nuclear reactor core loaded withassemblies of MOX fuel and with assemblies of UO₂ fuel will be called amixed core in the following.

The isotopes of plutonium and those of uranium have very differentneutron properties and in particular differences in cross section.

Considering that these differences in neutron properties made itimpossible to purely and simply substitute UO₂ fuel with MOX fuel inorder to produce MOX assemblies, document FR-2 693 023 described a zonedMOX assembly, i.e. for which the nuclear fuel rods have a same plutoniumisotope composition (or vector), i.e. the same composition in terms ofpercentages of the respective mass fractions of each isotope making upthe plutonium, and nominal total plutonium mass contents different fromone zone to the other of the assembly.

Thus, the nominal total plutonium mass content is lower on the facesthan at the centre of the assembly, and even lower in the corners of theassembly. With this, it is possible to obtain a radial distribution ofthe linear power density in the core of the nuclear reactor, inparticular in the peripheral rods of the MOX assemblies adjacent to UO₂assemblies, which is acceptable.

Moreover, as recalled in this document, the plutonium stemming fromreprocessing has an isotope composition which strongly varies inparticular depending on the initial uranium 235 enrichment, on theburn-up rate and on the storage duration of the fuel beforereprocessing.

In order to compensate for the neutron behavior differences which suchdifferences in isotope compositions might induce, energy equivalencerelationships were established in order to determine the nominal totalplutonium mass contents for different isotope compositions correspondingto a reference uranium 235 content. With these equivalent nominal totalmass contents it is possible to compensate for the differences inisotope compositions and to reach the same burn-up rates in the sametype of fuel management. The equivalence relationships use equivalencecoefficients which depend on the isotope composition of the relevant MOXfuel, i.e. on the isotope composition of the plutonium and the uranium235 content of the uranium associated with the plutonium.

These equivalence relationships are for example mentioned in pages 41 to43 of the document entitled Status and Advances in MOX Fuel Technology,Technical Reports Series No. 415 and published by the InternationalAtomic Energy Agency in 2003.

As an example, the table below specifies in its first portion thetypical compositions of the plutonium stemming from the reprocessing ofUO₂ fuel assemblies for a pressurized water reactor as a function of theinitial uranium 235 enrichment of the fuel and of the burn-up rateattained by the fuel, the storage duration before reprocessing being thesame for all the examples mentioned in the table.

The table specifies in its second portion (last line) the nominal totalplutonium mass contents with which it is possible to attain the sameburn-up rate as a UO₂ assembly enriched to 3.70% by mass of uranium 235and therefore to compensate for the decrease in the quality of theplutonium: reduction in the amount of fissile isotopes (plutonium 239and plutonium 241) and increase in the amount of absorbent fertileisotopes (plutonium 238, plutonium 240, plutonium 242 and americium241).

UO₂ assembly for a pressurized water reactor Enriched to Enriched toEnriched to Enriched to 3.25% by mass 3.70% by mass 4.00% by mass 4.95%by mass of ²³⁵U and of ²³⁵U and of ²³⁵U and of ²³⁵U and irradiated at 30irradiated at 40 irradiated at 50 irradiated at 70 Origin of the Pu usedGWd/tHM GWd/tHM GWd/tHM GWd/tHM Isotope 238 Pu 1.2 2.1 3.1 5.3compsition 239 Pu 62.2 57.7 53.6 48.9 (% by mass) 240 Pu 23.0 24.1 24.924.9 241 Pu 8.0 8.7 9.1 9.3 242 Pu 4.4 6.1 7.9 10.2 241 Am 1.2 1.3 1.41.4 Nominal total Pu 6.7 7.6 8.7 10.7 mass content (%) equivalent to anenrichment to 3.70% by mass of ²³⁵U

Taking into account the more and more substantial available amounts ofplutonium, certain producers of electricity have desired that the newlybuilt nuclear reactors may be loaded with up to 50% of MOX assemblies.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,302 describes a nuclear reactor in whichall the nuclear fuel assemblies loaded into the core contain MOX fuel.In order to ensure a homogeneous radial distribution of the linear powerdensity, these assemblies always have a zoned configuration and furthercomprise nuclear fuel rods which do not contain any plutonium oxide andfor which the nuclear fuel in addition to the inevitable impuritiesresulting from the manufacturing, contains consumable neutron poisonssuch as erbium oxide.

However, this reactor does not allow optimum use of the plutonium andthese assemblies are complex and costly to produce.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a method for operating apressurized water nuclear reactor, the method being useful in order tobe able to use more plutonium with increased efficiency and more reducedcosts.

A method is provided for operating a pressurized water nuclear reactorcomprising a core containing nuclear fuel assemblies comprising nuclearfuel rods, the method comprising steps consisting of operating thenuclear reactor during successive cycles with between each cycle, stepsfor replacing spent nuclear fuel assemblies with fresh nuclear fuelassemblies, a method wherein:

-   -   the reactor is operated at least one plutonium-equilibrium cycle        during which the core contains plutonium-equilibrium nuclear        fuel assemblies, the plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel        assemblies comprising, before irradiation, nuclear fuel rods        exclusively based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide, and for        each plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assembly the nuclear        fuel rods having a same isotope composition of nuclear fuel and        a same nominal total plutonium mass content, and then    -   the reactor is operated for transition cycles, at least some of        the plutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies being        progressively replaced, during the replacement steps preceding        transition cycles, with:        -   zoned transition nuclear fuel assemblies, the zoned            transition nuclear fuel assemblies each comprising:            -   a central zone comprising nuclear fuel rods, which,                before irradiation, contain uranium oxide but do not                contain any plutonium oxide, and            -   a peripheral zone extending along outer faces of the                zoned transition nuclear fuel assembly, the peripheral                zone only comprising before irradiation nuclear fuel                rods exclusively based on mixed uranium oxide and                plutonium oxide, and then        -   uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies, the            uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies only comprising            before irradiation nuclear fuel rods which contain uranium            oxide but do not contain any plutonium oxide,    -   the nuclear reactor is operated for at least one        uranium-equilibrium cycle in which the core contains        uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies, the        uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies only comprising        before irradiation nuclear fuel rods which contain uranium oxide        but do not contain any plutonium oxide.

According to particular embodiments, the method may comprise one or moreof the following features, taken individually or according to alltechnically possible combinations:

during the uranium-equilibrium cycle, the core only containsuranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies which only comprise beforeirradiation nuclear fuel rods which contain uranium oxide but do notcontain any plutonium oxide;

during the plutonium-equilibrium cycle, the core only containsplutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies;

during the plutonium-equilibrium cycle, the plutonium-equilibriumnuclear fuel assemblies only comprise before irradiation nuclear fuelrods exclusively based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide;

during the plutonium-equilibrium cycle, the nuclear fuel rods of all theplutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies have a same isotopecomposition of nuclear fuel and a same nominal total plutonium masscontent;

at least some of the zoned transition nuclear fuel assemblies comprisein their central zone poisoned nuclear fuel rods, the poisoned nuclearfuel rods containing before irradiation, at least one consumable neutronpoison;

in at least some of the zoned transition nuclear fuel assemblies, thenuclear fuel rods of the peripheral zones have nominal plutonium fissileisotope contents of less than those of nuclear fuel rods ofplutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies;

during the replacement step preceding a first transition cycle, firstzoned transition nuclear fuel assemblies are loaded into the core, andduring the replacement step preceding a second transition cycle, secondzoned transition nuclear fuel assemblies, for which the nuclear fuelrods of the central zones have, except for the possible poisoned nuclearfuel rods, uranium 235 enrichments different from those of the nuclearfuel rods of the central zones of the first zoned transition nuclearfuel assemblies, are loaded into the core;

except for the possible poisoned nuclear fuel rods, the nuclear fuelrods of the central zones of the second zoned transition nuclear fuelassemblies have substantially the same uranium 235 enrichment as thenuclear fuel rods of the uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies;

the zoned transition nuclear fuel assemblies are not loaded into theouter peripheral layer of the core and at least some of the zonedtransition nuclear fuel assemblies are loaded in the layer immediatelyadjacent to the outer peripheral layer of the core.

A nuclear fuel assembly a pressurized water nuclear reactor is alsoprovided. The nuclear fuel assembly includes a central zone comprisingnuclear fuel rods which, before irradiation, contain uranium oxide butdo not contain any plutonium oxide, and a peripheral zone extendingalong outer faces of the nuclear fuel assembly, the peripheral zone onlycomprising before irradiation nuclear fuel rods exclusively based onuranium and plutonium mixed oxide.

According to particular embodiments, the nuclear fuel assembly maycomprise one or more of the following features, taken individually oraccording to all the technically possible combinations:

-   -   at least some of the nuclear fuel rods of the central zone are        poisoned nuclear fuel rods which contain before irradiation a        consumable neutron poison;    -   in addition to the nuclear fuel rods, guide tubes for receiving        rods of a control cluster and optionally an instrumentation        tube, the nuclear fuel rods, the guide tubes and the optional        instrumentation tube occupying all the nodes of a regular        network;    -   the assembly does not comprise any outer casing;    -   the nuclear fuel is formed as solid pellets contained in the        nuclear fuel rods.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood upon reading the descriptionwhich follows, only given as an example and made with reference to theappended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a pressurized water nuclearreactor,

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view showing a possible distribution of thenuclear fuel assemblies and control clusters within the core of thenuclear reactor of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a lateral schematic view of a nuclear fuel assembly of thecore of the nuclear reactor of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view illustrating a possible distribution ofthe nuclear fuel rods in the assembly of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a fuel rod of theassembly of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a schematic partial longitudinal sectional view of a controlcluster of the nuclear reactor of FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a cooling facility of the nuclearreactor of FIG. 1, when the core is shut down,

FIGS. 8 to 12 are schematic partial and top views of the core of thereactor of FIG. 1 showing the successive distributions of the nuclearfuel assemblies upon starting the reactor in order to reach aplutonium-equilibrium cycle,

FIG. 13 is a similar view to FIG. 4 illustrating an initial nuclear fuelassembly which may be used upon starting the core of the reactor of FIG.1 in order to reach a plutonium-equilibrium cycle,

FIG. 14 is a similar view to FIG. 8 illustrating another initial cyclewith which a plutonium-equilibrium cycle may be reached,

FIG. 15 is a similar view to FIG. 13 illustrating a transition nuclearfuel assembly which may be used upon passing from aplutonium-equilibrium cycle to a uranium-equilibrium cycle,

FIG. 16 is a similar view to FIGS. 8 to 14 illustrating auranium-equilibrium cycle,

FIGS. 17 and 18 are views comparing the linear power densities attainedwithin nuclear fuel assemblies upon passing from a plutonium-equilibriumcycle to a uranium-equilibrium cycle with or without the use of anassembly according to FIG. 15,

FIG. 19 is a schematic top view illustrating another possibledistribution of the nuclear fuel rods in the assembly of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a pressurized water nuclear reactor 1which conventionally comprises a core 2, and one or more of each of theelements below, only one of each of these elements being illustrated inFIG. 1:

-   -   a steam generator 3,    -   a turbine 4 coupled with an electric power generator 5 and    -   a condenser 6.

The nuclear reactor 1 comprises a heavy reflector. The nuclear reactor 1further comprises a primary circuit 7 equipped with pumps 8 and in whichpressurized water flows along the path materialized by the arrows inFIG. 1. This water in particular flows upward through the core 2 inorder to be heated therein while ensuring cooling and moderation in thecore 2.

The primary circuit 7 further comprises a pressurizer 9 with which thepressure of the water flowing in the primary circuit 7 may be regulated.

A circuit 10, a so-called water makeup network or further WMN isconnected to the primary circuit 7, for example via the pump 8, in orderto supply water to the primary circuit 7. The circuit 10 for examplecomprises reservoirs 11 containing soluble boron, for example in theform of boric acid H₃BO₃. The WMN circuit 10 thus allows introduction ofthe boron into the water of the primary circuit 7 and therefore adecrease in the reactivity in the core 2. Preferably, the boroncontained in the reservoir 11 is enriched with boron 10, for example sothat its atomic content of this isotope is greater than 40% and is forexample of about 50%. It is recalled that the isotope 10 atomic contentof natural boron is about 20%.

The water of the primary circuit 7 also feeds the steam generator 3where it is cooled by ensuring vaporization of water flowing in asecondary circuit 12.

The steam produced by the steam generator 3 is channeled through thesecondary circuit 12 towards the turbine 4 and then towards thecondenser 6 where this steam is condensed by indirect heat exchange withthe water coolant flowing in the condenser 6.

The secondary circuit 12 comprises downstream from the condenser 6, apump 13 and a heater 14.

Also conventionally, the core 2 comprises nuclear fuel assemblies 16which are loaded in a vessel 18. A single assembly 16 is illustrated inFIG. 1, but the core 2 for example comprises 241 assemblies 16.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of an example of distribution of these differentassemblies 16 within the core 2. Each square materializes an assembly16.

Conventionally, during the operation of the reactor 1, the latteroperates during successive cycles which are separated by steps forreplacement during which the spent assemblies 16 are replaced with freshassemblies 16 and the assemblies 16 remaining in the core 2 may changeposition.

The reactor 1 comprises control clusters 20 (FIG. 1) which are arrangedin the vessel 18 above certain assemblies 16. A single cluster 20 isillustrated in FIG. 1, but the core 2 may for example comprise 89clusters 20.

The clusters 20 may be moved by mechanisms 22 so as to be inserted intothe assemblies 16 which they overhang, or be extracted therefrom.

Conventionally, each control cluster 20 comprises absorbent rods whichinclude one or more materials absorbing neutrons and optionally inertrods, i.e. which do not have any specific capability of absorbingneutrons.

Thus, by the vertical displacement of the clusters 20 it is possible toadjust the reactivity in the core 2 and it allows variations in theoverall power P provided by the core 2 from zero power up to the nominalpower NP, depending on the depth of introduction of the control clusters20 in the assemblies 16.

Some of these control clusters 20 are intended to ensure the regulationof the operation of the core 2, for example in power or in temperatureand are called regulating clusters. Other ones are only intended forstopping the reactor 1 and are called stopping clusters. In theillustrated example, the nuclear reactor 1 comprises 40 regulatingclusters and 49 stopping clusters. The assemblies 16 surmounted with aregulating cluster are located by hatchings and those surmounted with astopping cluster by dots in FIG. 2.

As illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4, each assembly 16 conventionallycomprises a bundle of nuclear fuel rods 24 and a frame 26 for supportingthe rods 24.

The frame 26 conventionally comprises a lower end piece 28, an upper endpiece 30, guide tubes 31 connecting both end pieces 30 and 28 andintended to receive rods of the control clusters 20, and spacer grids32.

FIG. 4 shows the distribution of the nuclear fuel rods 24 in an assembly16 according to the described example. The nuclear fuel rods 24 and theguide tubes 31 form therein a network with a square base with a side of17 rods. The assembly 16 thus comprises for example 24 guide tubes 31and 265 nuclear fuel rods 24. The nodes of the network are preferablyeach occupied by a nuclear fuel rod 24, by a guide tube 31, andoptionally by an instrumentation tube 29 which replaces a nuclear fuelrod 24 at the center of the assembly 16. Thus, all the nodes of thenetwork are occupied by a nuclear fuel rod 24, an instrumentation tube29 or a guide tube 31 and the assemblies 16 therefore do not include anywater hole in their network. FIG. 19 shows an assembly without aninstrumentation tube. Thus, all the nodes of the network are occupied bya nuclear fuel rod 24 or a guide tube 31 and the assemblies 16 thereforedo not include any water hole in their network.

As the assembly 16 is intended for a pressurized water reactor, it doesnot comprise any outer casing surrounding the nuclear fuel rods 24, likethe assemblies 16 for a boiling water reactor where this casing channelsthe moderation water and steam. In such an assembly 16 for a pressurizedwater reactor, the zone with the strongest moderation is not locatedbetween two adjacent assemblies but around the guide tubes.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, each nuclear fuel rod 24 conventionallycomprises a cladding 33 in the form of a circular tube closed by a lowerplug 34 and an upper plug 35. The rod 24 contains the nuclear fuelformed for example in the form of a series of pellets 36 stacked in thecladding 33 and bearing against the lower plug 34. A holding spring 39is positioned in the upper segment of the cladding 33 in order to bearupon the upper plug 35 and upon the upper pellet 36.

The pellets 36 may include recesses 37 in the form of spherical caps.Preferably, these pellets 36 are nevertheless solid and therefore do notfor example include any through-passage giving them an annular shape.

Conventionally, the cladding 33 is in a zirconium alloy.

According to a preferred operation mode of the reactor of FIG. 1, thenuclear fuel used in all the rods 24 of the assemblies 16 is a same MOXfuel.

The reactor 1 then operates according to successive cycles calledplutonium-equilibrium cycles in the following and the assemblies 16 usedduring such a cycle will be called plutonium-equilibrium assemblies 16.

For a same isotope composition, all the rods 24 have a same nominaltotal Pu mass content. Thus, except for the differences necessarilyresulting from the manufacturing, all the rods 24 have exactly the sametotal Pu mass content. This total mass content is defined as being theratio between the total mass (Pu+Am) in the nuclear fuel and the totalmass of the heavy isotopes (U+Pu+Am), in percent. Conventionally, thistotal mass content is presently less than a threshold content of 13% andfor example equal to about 7% or 10%. For a given isotope composition,the uncertainties resulting from the manufacturing may lead to relativedifferences in the contents D varying in a range of + or −5%, therelative difference D being defined by:

${D(\%)} = \frac{\left( {{{actual}\mspace{14mu}{content}} - {{nominal}\mspace{14mu}{content}}} \right)}{{nominal}\mspace{14mu}{content}}$

Preferably, no rod 24 contains any consumable neutron poison, such asrare earth oxides for example, except for the inevitable impuritiesresulting from the manufacturing.

A space 38 for expansion of the gases produced during the irradiation ofthe nuclear fuel is delimited inside the cladding 33 by the nuclearfuel, the lower plug 34, the upper plug 35 and the spring 39.

The expansion spaces 38 preferably have volumes V which are adjusted inorder to take into account the greater release of fission gases duringirradiation of the MOX fuel as compared with a UO₂ fuel which would beirradiated under the same conditions.

Moreover, specific steps may be taken in order to increase the volume ofthe expansion spaces 38 such as by the use of shims or the presence oflower plugs 34 with a specific shape as described in FR-2 864 322.

The core 2 preferably has a nominal linear power density NPlin of lessthan 175 W/cm and still preferably less than 170 W/cm.

The nominal linear power density is defined by:

${NPlin} = \frac{NP}{N*H}$wherein NP is the nominal power of the core 2, N is the number ofnuclear fuel rods 24 present in the core 2 and H is the height ofnuclear fuel (further called fissile column height), i.e. the height ofthe stack of pellets 36 (see FIG. 5).

FIG. 6 illustrates the structure of a control cluster 20. This controlcluster 20 includes absorbent rods 40 and a spider 42 ensuring thesupporting and holding of the absorbent rods 40 in the form of a bundlein which the absorbent rods 40 are parallel with each other andlaterally positioned according to the same network as that of the guidetubes 31 of the corresponding assembly 16.

The spider 42 for example includes a knob 44 with which the controlcluster 20 may be connected to the corresponding displacement mechanism22 and fins 45 firmly attached to the knob 44 on each of which one ormore absorbent rods 40 are attached.

The absorbent rod 40 illustrated in FIG. 6 includes a tube 46 containinga stack of pellets 48 in boron carbide B₄C. The tube 46 is closed at itsupper end with a plug 50 and at its lower end with a dome-shaped plug52. The tube 46 and the plugs 50 and 52 are for example made in steeland were optionally subject to a treatment against wear such asnitridation, oxidation.

The stack of pellets 48 in B₄C is held inside the tube 46 by a spring orany other blocking device 54. In the illustrated example, the lower endof the column of pellets 48 bears upon the lower plug 52 via a spacer56. The spacer 56 may for example be made in a silver-indium-cadmium(SIC) alloy. The upper 50 and lower 52 plugs were welded to the tube 46,for example with laser beam, electron beam, TIG, friction or resistancewelding.

In a preferred alternative, the boron contained in the pellets 48 isenriched with boron 10, for example at an atomic content of more than30%, still preferably more than 40% and for example 50%.

In a preferred alternative, the reactor 1 comprises an auxiliary coolingfacility 62 illustrated by FIG. 7. This auxiliary facility 62 is inparticular used for cooling the core 2 when it is shut down, for coolingpools for laying or storing the fuel . . . . With the cooling facility62 it is possible to thermally connect the elements 64 of the reactor 1,a single one of which is illustrated in FIG. 7, to a cold source 66. Theelement 64 may for example be the pool of a fuel building, a pump, aheat barrier. The cold source 66 may for example be formed by a streamof water or the sea or a dry air coolant.

The element 64 and the cold source 66 are thermally connected in theexample illustrated by an outer circuit 68 which for example is theso-called backup raw water circuit or further BWC, an intermediatecircuit 70 which for example is the so-called intermediate coolingcircuit or ICC and an inner circuit 72, the circuit 68, 70 and 72 areput into a thermal relationship with each other through heat exchangers74 which preferably are plate exchangers.

During a plutonium-equilibrium cycle mentioned earlier, the core 2 isloaded with 100% of MOX fuel, so that the amount of plutonium consumedby the core 2 is greater than that consumed by the reactors of the priorstate of the art.

The use of a single total plutonium mass content gives the possibilitywhen it is compared with zoned MOX assemblies according to the state ofthe art, of loading more plutonium into the core 2 and/or guaranteeingan additional margin relatively to the allowed threshold content.

Because of the homogeneous plutonium content within the core 2 and ofthe slow decrease in the reactivity of the MOX fuel depending on theirradiation, the radial dispersion of the linear power density aroundthe average value is low and the power is therefore actually radiallyhomogeneous within the core 2. A larger stability of the axialdistribution of the power in the core 2 is also noted due to the lowerefficiency of the xenon in a 100% MOX environment.

By the low nominal linear power density NPlin, the reactor gives thepossibility of having increased safety margins which may be used forincreasing the flexibility of the management of the core 2 as well as ofhaving margins on the pressure inside the rods 24 thereby allowinghigher burn-up rates and longer irradiation cycle durations. This allowsa further increase in the performances of the MOX fuel used and allowsthem to be brought to the level of those of UO₂ fuel in a 100% UO₂ core.

Thus, the burn-up rate for the assemblies 16 of the core 2 describedabove may attain 50 GWd/tHM (GigaWatt·day per ton of Heavy Metal) oreven 60 GWd/tHM and more. These performances may be obtained whilecontrolling the internal pressure in the rods by adjusting the volumes Vof the expansion spaces 38 in order to take into account thecharacteristics of the MOX fuel, present alone in the core 2, without itbeing necessary to take into account the characteristics of another fuellike in the state of the art.

It should be noted that this low linear power density goes against thepresent trend of increasing this power.

The absence of water rods in the plutonium-equilibrium assemblies 16also gives the possibility of having a structure totally similar to thatof UO₂ assemblies, which further allows reduction in the costsassociated with the core 2 by greater standardization. This absence ofwater rods further allows low nominal linear power density to beretained and therefore increased safety margins to be retained.

The use of a single total plutonium mass content also gives thepossibility of reducing the costs by a greater standardization and theabsence of neutron poisons avoids specific and costly manufacturing andreprocessing steps as well as perturbation of the power shape of thereactor due to progressive depletion of these neutron poisons duringirradiation.

In certain alternatives, the nominal total plutonium mass content and/orthe isotope compositions of the nuclear fuel may vary between theassemblies 16 present in the core 2 during a same plutonium-equilibriumcycle.

In these alternatives, these different contents are not necessarilyequivalent to each other and the isotope composition of the fuel of therelevant assemblies 16 may even be identical.

By boron 10 enrichment of the boron contained in the control clusters 20and of the soluble boron introduced into the primary circuit 7, thestopping margins and the safety criteria may be more easily observed inspite of the specific neutron behavior of the MOX fuel, in particularits neutron spectrum. The total boron concentration in the primarycircuit 7 thus remains acceptable with regard to the specifications ofthe chemistry of the primary circuit and there is no risk ofcrystallization.

The use of plate exchangers 74 in the auxiliary cooling facility 62further allows if necessary compensation for the larger residual heatfrom the MOX fuel.

Thus, the core 2 has increased operating and safety margins in normaland accidental situations in the operation of the reactor 1 and allowsconsumption of more plutonium with increased efficiency.

In order to attain better performances, it is appropriate to use a lownominal linear power density of the core, as well as not to have anywater hole in the plutonium-equilibrium assemblies, not to have anyneutron poison in the nuclear fuel rods used, to use enriched boron inthe control clusters 20 and in the boron supply circuits of the primarycircuit 7, to have expansion spaces 38 with an optimized volume and touse, if necessary plate exchangers 74 as described above.

However, in certain alternatives, all these features or either one orthe other may be absent. As an example, rather than a boron 10enrichment of the B₄C contained in the clusters, it is possible to usefor example a larger number of control clusters 20 or to keep the numberof control clusters 20 and change their distribution between regulatingclusters and stopping clusters.

Also, the assemblies 16 may have structures and/or features differentfrom those described above and in particular comprise a different numberof nuclear fuel rods 24.

The control clusters 20 described earlier may also be used in reactorsfor which the cores are loaded conventionally, i.e. with conventionalMOX assemblies and/or with UO₂ assemblies.

The reactor 1 described above may start with a core 2, 100% loaded withMOX assemblies.

This being said, economically, it seems to be more advantageous to startthe reactor 1 with a core 2 partly or even 100% loaded with UO₂assemblies and to then pass during a subsequent cycle to a core 2, 100%loaded with MOX assemblies.

Thus, and only as an example, the steps of an operating method forstarting the reactor 1 with a core 2 partly loaded with UO₂ assembliesand reaching a plutonium-equilibrium cycle, are described with referenceto FIGS. 8 to 12.

This method for operating the reactor 1 thus comprises an initial cycleand several transition cycles with which it is possible to reach aplutonium-equilibrium cycle which may be followed by any number of suchplutonium-equilibrium cycles.

FIGS. 8 to 12 respectively illustrate the configurations of the core 2corresponding to the initial cycle, to the transition cycles, three inthe described example, and to the plutonium-equilibrium cycle. Betweeneach cycle, the method comprises steps for replacing spent nuclear fuelassemblies with fresh nuclear fuel assemblies. Because of the symmetryof the core 2 relatively to horizontal axes X and Y, only a quarter ofthe structure of the core 2 has been illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 13.

As an example, in the initial cycle, the core 2 is loaded with so-calledinitial nuclear fuel assemblies which may for example be distributed infour categories:

-   -   initial nuclear fuel assemblies 16A, these assemblies being UO₂        assemblies which contain uranium enriched for example to 2.1% by        mass of uranium 235, the number of assemblies 16A being for        example 97,    -   initial nuclear fuel assemblies 16B, these assemblies being UO₂        assemblies which contain uranium enriched to a value by mass        greater than that of the assemblies 16A, for example to 3.2% of        uranium 235, the number of assemblies 16B being for example 72,    -   initial nuclear fuel assemblies 16C, these assemblies being UO₂        assemblies which contain uranium enriched to a value by mass        greater than that of the assemblies 16B, for example to 4.2% of        uranium 235, the number of assemblies 16C being for example 32,        and    -   initial nuclear fuel assemblies 16D which are MOX assemblies,        the number of assemblies 16D being for example 40.

The nuclear fuel rods 24 of the assemblies 16A to 16C therefore beforeirradiation do not contain any plutonium. Some of the initial nuclearfuel assemblies 16A to 16C may comprise nuclear fuel rods 24 containingbefore irradiation a consumable neutron poison, such as gadoliniumoxide.

The structure of the initial assemblies 16D is illustrated by FIG. 13.

This structure is zoned so that the MOX nuclear fuel used varies betweendifferent zones of the assembly 16D. In order to distinguish thesedifferent MOX nuclear fuels, in the following of the description, theplutonium fissile isotope content t which is defined as the ratio in %between the total mass of fissile isotopes (Pu239 and Pu241) and thetotal mass of heavy isotopes (U+Pu+Am). The reactivity of a MOX fuelassembly depends on the content t and on the isotope composition of theplutonium used. Other parameters such as for example the total plutoniummass content may be used.

In the described example, the plutonium used has the same isotopecomposition and the assembly 16D comprises:

-   -   a first central zone 80 consisting of nuclear fuel rods 24        having a first nominal fissile isotope content t1, for example        of 4.6% which corresponds to a nominal total plutonium mass        content of 6.3% in the example considered, and    -   a second zone 82 extending along the outer faces of the nuclear        fuel assembly 16D and consisting of nuclear fuel rods 24 having        a second nominal fissile isotope content t2 strictly less than        the first content t1, the content t2 for example having the        value of 3.4% which corresponds to a nominal total plutonium        mass content of 4.6% in the example considered,    -   a third zone 84 positioned at the corners of the nuclear fuel        assembly 16D and consisting of nuclear fuel rods 24 having a        third nominal fissile isotope content t3 strictly less than the        second content t2, the content t3 for example having the value        of 2% which corresponds to a nominal total plutonium mass        content of 2.7% in the example considered.

In the described example, the third zone 84 comprises 12 rods 24.

In an alternative not shown, the assembly 16D may only comprise twozones, one corresponding to the zone 80 described earlier and the secondto the union of the zones 82 and 84 described earlier where, in thisalternative, the rods 24 are identical.

The nominal average plutonium mass content of the assemblies 16D in theconsidered example is 5.7%. More generally it is substantially largerthan the uranium 235 enrichment of the nuclear fuel assemblies 16C,which is 4.2% in the example described, in order to obtain the energyequivalence.

As illustrated by FIG. 8, the assemblies 16D are positioned in the outerperipheral layer of assemblies 86 of the core 2.

The presence of the assemblies 16D in the outer peripheral layer 86allows limitation of the number of interfaces between the MOX fuel andthe UO₂ fuel and therefore a limitation of the values reached by theenthalpy rise factor FΔH of the hottest rod of the core 2.

In the replacement step preceding the first transition cycle, areintroduced:

-   -   for example 24 transition nuclear fuel assemblies 16E which only        contain UO₂ fuel, possibly with certain rods 24 containing a        consumable neutron poison, such as gadolinium oxide, and    -   for example 56 nuclear fuel assemblies 16F which contain MOX        fuel.

The assemblies 16E for example contain uranium enriched to 4.8% by massof uranium 235.

Although these solutions are less advantageous economically, it ispossible to load in place of the assemblies 16E, transition nuclear fuelassemblies only containing MOX fuel with a nominal fissile isotopecontent t less than that of the assemblies 16F or of the zoned MOXassemblies.

The assemblies 16F are for example assemblies only containing MOX fuel,and for example are identical with the assemblies which will be used inthe subsequent plutonium-equilibrium cycles. In the considered example,the nominal fissile isotope content of their MOX fuel is for example5.4% which corresponds, still in the considered example, to a nominaltotal plutonium mass content of 7.3%.

It will be observed that in this example, the nominal fissile isotopecontent t of the nuclear fuel assemblies 16F is greater than that of thecentral zones 80 of the nuclear fuel assemblies 16D.

In order to load the assemblies 16E and 16F into the core 2 during thereplacement step preceding the first transition cycle, nuclear fuelassemblies 16A are unloaded.

As illustrated by FIG. 9, the assemblies 16F are loaded into the layerof assemblies 88 of the core 2 immediately adjacent to the peripherallayer 86. The assemblies 16D are displaced towards the layer ofassemblies 90 of the core 2 immediately located in the inside of thecore 2 relatively to the layer 88.

In the replacement steps preceding the second (FIG. 10) and third (FIG.11) transition cycles and the equilibrium cycle (FIG. 12), nuclear fuelassemblies 16F are loaded in order to progressively replace the nuclearfuel assemblies 16A to 16D. These assemblies 16F are respectively markedby mixed oblique hatchings, wide oblique hatchings and double obliquehatchings depending on the replacement step during which they wereintroduced.

Thus, during the plutonium-equilibrium cycle (FIG. 12), the core isentirely loaded with assemblies 16F, i.e. plutonium-equilibriumassemblies.

With the method described earlier, it is possible to start the reactor 1and to reach an equilibrium cycle with a core 100% loaded with MOXassemblies and this with reduced costs as compared with the directstarting of a core 100% loaded with MOX assemblies. Indeed, this allowsreduction in the number of MOX assemblies unloaded during the transitioncycles without having been subject to complete depletion, assemblies,the cost of which is substantially higher than that of the UO₂assemblies.

This method was only described as an example and many aspects may changefrom one alternative of this method to another, in particular as regardsthe nuclear fuel assemblies which may be introduced during thereplacement steps. In particular, nuclear fuel assemblies other thanthose described earlier may be used.

As an example, in the initial cycle, the core 2 may only be loaded withUO₂ nuclear fuel assemblies. It is then possible for example by usingnuclear fuel assemblies 16D, 16E and 16F to attain an equilibrium cyclewith a core 100% loaded with MOX assemblies.

FIG. 14 illustrates such an initial cycle where the core is loaded withinitial assemblies, 16A, 16B and 16C such as those described earlierwith reference to FIG. 8. Unlike the case of FIG. 8, the number ofassemblies 16C is 72.

The rise to equilibrium with 100% MOX may be achieved in a similar wayto what was described earlier with, before a first transition cycle, thereplacement of most of the nuclear fuel assemblies 16A and of a fewnuclear fuel assemblies 16B with nuclear fuel assemblies 16D in order toobtain a core 2 similar to that of FIG. 8 with optionally adaptedrespective localizations of the assemblies in the core and contents andenrichments. The continuation of the rise to equilibrium with 100% MOXis achieved in a similar way to what was described earlier with, ifnecessary, adjustments of the number and of the positions of theassemblies in the core and adjustments of the enrichments and contents.

It may also be desirable to pass from an operation of the core 2 100%loaded with MOX assemblies, to an operation where the core 2 is 100%loaded with UO₂ assemblies or with a mixture of UO₂ assemblies and MOXassemblies. For this, advantageously, it is possible to use transitionnuclear fuel assemblies 16G as the one illustrated by FIG. 15.

This assembly 16G has a zoned configuration and comprises:

-   -   in its central zone 80 nuclear fuel rods 24 only containing        before irradiation uranium oxide and no plutonium oxide, i.e.        UO₂ fuel, and    -   in its peripheral zone 81 extending along the outer faces 82 of        the assembly 16G and in particular in its corners 84, nuclear        fuel rods 24 containing before irradiation fuel based on uranium        and plutonium mixed oxide, i.e. MOX fuel.

The peripheral zone 81 corresponds to the outer layer of nuclear fuelrods 24.

Typically, the nuclear fuel rods 24 of the peripheral zone 81 have anominal fissile isotope content t less than that of theplutonium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies 16 present in the core 2before the transition, for example the assemblies 16F.

In certain alternatives, the central zone 80 may contain rods 24containing before irradiation a consumable neutron poison.

A method for operating the nuclear reactor will thus be described in thefollowing, giving the possibility of passing from aplutonium-equilibrium cycle, in which the core 2 is for example 100%loaded with MOX nuclear fuel assemblies such as the assemblies 16Fdescribed earlier, to a uranium-equilibrium cycle, in which the core 2is, as an example, 100% loaded with UO₂ assemblies 16H (FIG. 16).

In a replacement step preceding a first transition cycle,plutonium-equilibrium MOX assemblies 16F are removed and for example 81transition nuclear fuel assemblies 16G are introduced. The rods 24 ofthe central zone 80 of the assemblies 16G may have an enrichment of 4.0%by mass of uranium 235 and some rods 24 of the zone may contain aconsumable neutron poison, for example gadolinium oxide generally with auranium 235 enrichment of the supporting uranium oxide less than that ofthe non-poisoned rods 24, for example an enrichment of 2% by mass. Theuranium 235 enrichment of the rods of the central zone 80 is generallydifferent and lower than that of the rods of the assemblies 16H. Therods of the peripheral zone 81 preferably have a nominal total plutoniummass content of less than half of that of the plutonium-equilibrium MOXassemblies 16F.

The transition assemblies 16G are for example introduced into the layerof assemblies 88 immediately adjacent to the outer peripheral layer ofassemblies 86 of the core 2, and more at the centre of the core 2, butnot in the outer peripheral layer 86.

After having operated the reactor 1 for the first transition cycle, 80plutonium-equilibrium MOX assemblies 16F are removed.

80 transition nuclear fuel assemblies 16G are then loaded, which aredistinguished from those described earlier by the fact that the uranium235 enrichment of the rods of the central zone 80 is not necessarilyidentical with that of the preceding assemblies 16G nor with that of therods 24 of the assemblies 16H. This enrichment may for example beadjusted in order to meet the needs of the operator in particular asregards cycle length. However in order to reach equilibrium morerapidly, the assemblies 16G loaded before the second transition cyclepreferably have a uranium 235 enrichment similar to that of theassemblies 16H. These transition assemblies 16G are for example loadedwhile avoiding the outer peripheral layer of assemblies 86 of the core2. The reactor 1 is then operated for a second transition cycle.

Next, in the replacement step preceding a third transition cycle, theremaining last plutonium-equilibrium MOX assemblies 16F will be replacedwith 80 UO₂ assemblies 16H with a uranium 235 enrichment of for example4.95% by mass. These last assemblies 16H which are uranium-equilibriumnuclear fuel assemblies only contain UO₂ rods, some of which possiblycontain a consumable neutron poison.

The method will further comprise if necessary two transition cycles inwhich the residual transition assemblies 16G introduced earlier, arereplaced with uranium-equilibrium nuclear fuel assemblies in order toattain a core 2, 100% loaded with UO₂ assemblies, with for example auranium 235 enrichment of 4.95% by mass.

The operating method described earlier for passing from aplutonium-equilibrium cycle to a uranium-equilibrium cycle gives thepossibility of ensuring such a transition in an economical way, whilelimiting the risks of damaging the nuclear fuel assemblies, and inparticular the risks of damaging nuclear fuel rods 24 containing MOXfuel.

Thus, FIG. 17 illustrates the maximum linear power density as seen bythe nuclear fuel rods 24 of the MOX assemblies respectively unloaded inthe replacement step preceding the first transition cycle (curve 90), inthe replacement step preceding the second transition cycle (curve 92)and in the replacement step preceding the third transition cycle (curve94).

FIG. 18 illustrates the same curves, obtained not by using transitionassemblies 16G such as those of FIG. 15, but by simply replacing the MOXassemblies with UO₂ assemblies.

It may be seen, in particular for curves 92 and 94, that the lowerlinear power density values are in particular reached for large burn-uprates, in particular beyond 50 GWd/tHM when transition assemblies 16Gare used.

Thus, the release of fission gases out of the pellets at the end oftheir lifetime is substantially reduced because the linear powerdensities of the fuel rods 24 are strongly reduced for large burn-uprates. The transition may therefore be ensured safely.

This operating method with which it is possible to pass from aplutonium-equilibrium cycle to a uranium-equilibrium cycle, does notallow per se the use of more plutonium in a reactor, but it is usefulfor this purpose. Indeed, a nuclear power plant operator may desire, inorder to use a core loaded 100% with MOX assemblies and thereforeconsume more plutonium, to have a solution allowing return to a moreconventional operation with UO₂ assemblies.

This method was only described as an example and many aspects may varyfrom one alternative of this method to another.

Thus, transition nuclear fuel assemblies 16G may only be introduced inone replacement step, their central zones 80 may comprise rods 24containing MOX fuel . . . .

The operating methods described earlier and giving the possibility topass from a plutonium-equilibrium cycle to a uranium-equilibrium cycleon the one hand, and to reach a plutonium-equilibrium cycle on the otherhand may be used independently of each other and independently of thefeatures described above for the reactor 1. They may further be usedwith plutonium-equilibrium cycles in which the core is not 100% loadedwith MOX assemblies and with uranium-equilibrium cycles in which thecore 2 is not 100% loaded with UO₂ assemblies.

What is claimed is:
 1. A nuclear fuel assembly for a pressurized waternuclear reactor, the nuclear fuel assembly having a zoned configurationrepresenting all nuclear fuel rods of the fuel assembly, the zonedconfiguration consisting of: a central zone comprising nuclear fuel rodswhich, before irradiation, contain uranium oxide but do not contain anyplutonium oxide, wherein the central zone does not comprise, beforeirradiation, any fuel rod based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide,and a peripheral zone extending along outer faces of the nuclear fuelassembly, the peripheral zone only comprising before irradiation nuclearfuel rods exclusively based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide, theperipheral zone consisting of a single outermost layer of nuclear fuelrods, such that there are no nuclear fuel rods other than the singleoutermost layer of nuclear fuel rods that, before irradiation, areexclusively based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide.
 2. The assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein at least some of the nuclear fuel rods ofthe central zone are poisoned nuclear fuel rods which contain beforeirradiation a consumable neutron poison.
 3. The assembly according toclaim 1, the assembly comprising, in addition to the nuclear fuel rods,guide tubes for receiving rods of a control cluster and aninstrumentation tube, the nuclear fuel rods, the guide tubes and theinstrumentation tube occupying all the nodes of a regular network. 4.The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly does notcomprise any outer casing.
 5. The assembly according to claim 1, whereinthe nuclear fuel is formed as solid pellets contained in the nuclearfuel rods.
 6. A nuclear fuel assembly for a pressurized water nuclearreactor, the nuclear fuel assembly having a zoned configurationconsisting of: a central zone comprising nuclear fuel rods which, beforeirradiation, contain uranium oxide but do not contain any plutoniumoxide, wherein the central zone does not comprise, before irradiation,any fuel rod based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide, and aperipheral zone extending along outer faces of the nuclear fuelassembly, the peripheral zone only comprising before irradiation nuclearfuel rods exclusively based on uranium and plutonium mixed oxide, theperipheral zone consisting of a single outermost layer of nuclear fuelrods, the assembly comprising, in addition to the nuclear fuel rods,guide tubes for receiving rods of a control cluster, the nuclear fuelrods and the guide tubes occupying all the nodes of a regular network.7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein at least some of thenuclear fuel rods of the central zone are poisoned nuclear fuel rodswhich contain before irradiation a consumable neutron poison.
 8. Theassembly according to claim 6, wherein the assembly does not compriseany outer casing.
 9. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein thenuclear fuel is formed as solid pellets contained in the nuclear fuelrods.